Toaster for electric range



April 25, 1939. H. STRAUSE 2,155,623

TOASTER FOR ELECTRIC RANGES Filed July 8, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 I 5 22 ff ;,..lllll| muummiw w m uu mmn 25 WITNESS v INVEN-TOR g g z/P/ ire/7055 A ril 25, 1939. H, STRAUSE 2,155,623 A TOASTER FOR ELECTRIC RANGES Filed July 8, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 2 A ril 25, 1939. H STRAUSE 2,155,623

TOASTER FOR ELECTRIC RANGES Filed July 8, 1957 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 5. M h I h WITNESS INVENTOR f/i/ffi j TRfiU5 w/e/xw BY ATTORNEYS hreadrsupporting wires or racks in a manner that will be hereinafter more fullyexplained. The width of the annular base should preferably be such that there is suiilcient space in the area defined by the inturned edges of the beads I'Ito QQBILBQB the structure. When the rack is raised to upright position, the rolled rim or bead I! on the side of the annular base from which the rack projects, will further contract the side reaches of the rack and place them under increased tension. As the accommodate the bread supporting wires in their \two apertures with which such rack is associated,

collapsed condition, as shown'in Fig. 4 of the drawings.

The bread supporting members or racks, of which there are four, are arranged in pairs, the

' racks of each pair being in spaced relation and arranged so that they are disposed transversely the racks of the other pair-when they are erected into position for the toasting operation. Each of the racks is constituted of wire and is formed to provide an intermediate or top reach and two end orside reaches, the top reach I 8 of each rack being disposed in parallel relation with the top surface of the horizontally disposed heating unit and the side reaches of each rack, each comprising a short leg. portion l9 arranged to stand substantially vertically when the rack is an erect position, a loop portion forming a rest for the bread and an upper portion 2| connecting the loop portion 20 with the top reach I8 and forming a support against which the inner surface of the slice of bread rests, the upper portions 2 I of each rack converging towards each other and being inclined at an angle of from 50 to 60 with respect to the horizontal so that slices of bread upon such racks will be disposed over the resist-n ance elements of the heating unit and inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which such resistances lie.- As the loop or oflset portions 20 of the racks are spaced from the annular base ill, so that the slices of bread are supported in spaced relation to such base and the heating unit-of the stove and as the top of the f racks form an open outlet, there is provided sumcient space to permit of the free circulation of air above the resistance elements.

The racks are so arranged with relation to the base II that they may be collapsed within such base when the device is not in use and can be assembled on either side of such base for the toasting of bread. As shown more clearly in Fig. l

. 3, each end of the racks consists of an outwardly projecting portion 22 connected to a leg portion I8 and an outer bent portion 23. The portions 22 of the racks extend through a similar number of apertures 24 provided in, the side walls of the annular base 10 and arranged so that they all lie in the same horizontal plane and approximately. midway of the width of the annular base It), the two apertures 24 with which each rack is associated being positioned on such base so that a line connecting them is parallel to and slightly shorter than a'fdiameter of such base. Because of this connection, the racks may be pivoted through an angle of more than 180". through the annular base Ill and are enabled to be erected into proper position on either side of the base, as shown in Fig. 5, or collapsed into superimposed relation within the base, as shown in Fig. 4, thereby permitting. the appliance to be conveniently stored. {As the racks are similar in form and the,

apertures 24 lie in the same horizontal plane, the racks in their assembled or erected condition will be placed under tension, thereby providing a rigid and strong bread supporting structure.

Each of the racks is formed so that the distance between the leg portions l8 thereof is greaterthan the distance between the two apertures 24-? through which itsend portions 22 extend,;whereby the rack is normally under slight tension in are positioned in spaced relation below such head I? and are on a chord of the annular base III which is parallel to and slightly smaller than a diameter of such base, the tension in the side reaches of the rack will cause the leg portions l9 thereof and the rolled rim H of the base to coact, when the rack is released from its erect position,, to cause the rack to rotate automatiwith the roller rims I! to lock the rack in its 001-- lapsed position within the annular base Hi, thereby preventing such rack from pivoting beyond the outer confines of such base until it is ready for use. This feature of the invention is attained by forming the looped portions 20 of each rack so that the distance between the outermost parts thereof is approximately the same as the diameter of the interior wall of the annular base "I and greater than the interior diameters of the rolled rims or beads -ll. Thus, when the rack is forced within the interior of the base ID, the outer parts of the loop. portions 20 thereof will ride over a rolled rim l1, causing the side reaches of the rack to be contracted until the'loop portions 20 have moved inwardly past the rim 'l'l, whereupon the tension created in the side reaches by such contraction will cause the latter to spring outwardly bringing the loop portions 20 to their normal outermost position within the annular base "I. In this position of the rack, the loop portions 20 will prevent t rack from swinging outwardly beyond the rims I until it is positively pivoted from its collapsed condition by the user. The sliding connection between the rack and the annular base 10 permits the side reaches of the rack to move inwardly during the passing of the loop portions 20 over a rim I 1 without twisting.

The top reaches l8 of the racks are each provided with a pair of notches or depressions 25 adapted when the racks are .in their erect positions to seat in cooperating relation with simi iarly formed notches or depressions 25 in the top reaches of the other racks so as to prevent accidental collapsing of the rack structure while the .present invention provides an appliance which can be satisfactorily used in conjunction withan electric stove or range to produce toast and which satisfies all ofthe requirements of a practical toasting device. When the racks are raised and interlocked by means of the depressions or notches 25 and the appliance properly positioned over the heating unit of an electric stove, the slices of bread placed thereon will be supported at an asute angle of approximately to the horizontally disposed glowing resistance wires of the heating unit and in spaced relation therewith. The convection currents of air heated by the glowing elements of the stove rise from such elements until they impinge against the slices of bread and then flow along the exposed surfaces of such slices to their upper extremities. The heat carried by the convection currents is thereby transferred substantially uniformly throughout the outer surfaces of the slices of bread to effect a speedy and uniform toasting of the bread, transforming the exposed surfaces of such slices into a uniformly rich brown crisp condition. at the end of the toasting operation, the appliance can be removed readily by hand and the toast supporting wires collapsed within the annular base In, in which condition the toaster can be conveniently stored in the ordinary kitchen drawer or cabinet or hung on a nail in a closet, the flat annular form of the collapsed appliance occupying little room in its place of storage and the rims I1 and loop portions 20 preventing accidental opening of the racks'until the appliance is ready for use.

From the above, it will be seen that the invention provides an appliance which is particularly well adapted for the purposes for which it was devised and it will also be evident that the above described device is susceptible of considerable change without material departure from the principles and spirit of .the invention. For example, in Figs. 6 to 8 of the drawings, I have shown an embodiment which differs in form from the above described construction, but which embodies the same essential features. In this embodiment of the invention, the supporting base comprises a metal wire which has been formed to provide the vertically disposed U-shaped legs 30 by means of which the appliance is mounted upon the electric stove and the inwardly curvedsupports 3|, the latter of which are disposed horizontally at substantially the same level but below the top portions of the U-shaped legs 30, so that the portions 32 connecting such supports 3| with the legs 30 are inclined downwardly towards the supports 3|. The ends of the metal wire forming such base may be welded together in any suitable fashion or connected by a conpler, such as the sleeve member 33 illustrated in the drawings.

Mounted upon the inwardly curved supports 3| is the bread supporting rack which in the embodiment illustrated consists of a metal wire which has been bent to form a spiral spring, the bottom coil of which is octagonally-shaped and the upper coils of which are shaped in the form of squares of successively reduced areas to produce a substantially pyramidal effect. The octagonally-shaped bottom coil 34 of the rack is secured at the points 35, 36, 31, 38, 39, 40 and 4| to the inwardly curved supports 3| by solder or welding, the end of such bottom coil connecting with the adjacent square coil 42 of the spring not being secured to a support 3| and extending over a curved support 3| at the point 43 in spaced relation thereto. spring is united in any suitable manner to the top coil at the point 44, forming a closed upper square.

With the coiled spring. in raised position, as

shown in Fig. 7 of the drawings, slices of bread' may be laid upon the inclined portions 32 of the inwardly curved support 3| and against the coiled spring, whereby they will be supported at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which lie The upper end of the coiled the glowing elements of the horizontally disposed heating unit of the electric stove. When the toasting operation has been completed, the top coil of the spring may be pushed down, the square coils of the spring collapsing within each other and all of the square coils collapsing within the bottom octagonally-shaped coil 34 of the spring. A stiff wire rod 45 is provided to maintain the coiled spring in collapsed condition when the appliance is not in use, such rod interengaging at its ends with two diagonally opposed portions of the supporting base and spanning the coiled spring as shown in Fig. 8. The rod 45 may be provided with a looped end 46 to facilitate the disengagement of such rod when the appliance is to be used. I

From the foregoing description itwill be evident that in both of thedisclosed embodiments of the invention the bases thereof have vertically extending portions, which are adapted to rest in contact with a supporting surface suchas a table or a wall in either of the two reversible collapsed positions of the appliance and have a vertical dimension at least as great as the vertical dimension of the collapsible bread-supporting members when in collapsed condition, so that the latter will be contained entirely within the base when in such condition. Both bases also have an unobstructed opening through which, when the appliance is positioned on an electric stove, heat from the horizontally arranged electrical heating elements of the stove will reach the slices of bread directly without passing through and thereby heating any part of the bases. The bread-supporting members associated with the base of each embodiment include a bent portion, the bent-over part of which supplies a support for the lower edge of the bread slices and brace members for the bread slices to rest .against, such members being also positionable to extend over the opening of the base member at acute angles with relation to the area of the heating unit and being collapsible to positions within the confines of the vertical portions of their associated bases. Furthermore both embodiments include means which coact with the bend of the bent portions of the bread supports for holding the brace members in their collapsed condition within the confines of the base against unintentional protrusion when the toasting appliance is not in use so that the toaster in its collapsed condition will lie fiat upon or against a supporting surface in either of the two'reversible positions of the collapsed device.

I claim:

A toaster appliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a heating unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements, comprising a base having an unobstructed opening greater in area than the area of bread and the horizontally disposed heating.

unit.

2. A toaster appliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a heating unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements, comprising a base having an unobstructed central opening greater in area than the area occupied by the resistance elements in I the heating unit of the stove, a bread support formed of wire attached to said base, said bread support being positioned over the opening of said base member and being formed so that slices of bread supported thereby will be disposed over the resistance elements of the electrical heating unit at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which such elements lie and being arranged relative to said base to provide space for free circulation of air between the bottoms of the ll slices of bread and the horizontally disposed heating unit, the wiresections of said bread support being constructed and arranged to be collapsed within said base when the appliance is not in use and said base having a vertical dimension at 8 least as great as the vertical dimension of said bread support when in collapsed condition; whereby said bread support will be contained entirely within said basewhen in such condition. 3. A toaster appliance for use in conJunction with an electric stove having a heating unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements, comprising a base member having a central opening greater in area than the area occupied by thesresistance elements in the Q heating unit of the stove, a plurality of racks formed of wire disposed about and projecting upwardly iroms'aid base member, said racks extending over the central opening of said base member inconverging relation and at an acute angle with relation to the horizontal so that slices of bread upon said racks will be disposed over the resistance elements of the electrical heating unit and inclined at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which such elements, lie, each of said racks having an offset portion spaced from said base member, the said oil'aet portions forming rests adapted to support slices of bread in spaced relation to said base member and the heating unityof the stove thereby. providing for free circulation of air above the resistance elements. I 4. A toaster appliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a heating unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements, comprising a base member having side walls encompassing an open central portion, two pairs of racks mounted on said base member and adapted to support slices of bread, the of each pair being in spaced relation and arranged transversely to the racks of the other pair, each of said racks being constituted oi a single piece of wire formed to provide a top reach and converging side reaches disposed at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which the resistance elements lie and being pivotally connected at its ends to the side walls of said base member so that said racks can be collapsed within the space bounded by the side walls of said base member and can be assembled in opera'tive position on either side of said base memher, the vertical dimension of the side walls of said annular base member beingat least as great as :the vertical dimension of said rracks when in collapsed condition, whereby said racks will be contained entirely within the confines ofisaid side walls when in such condition. I

5. A toasterappliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a heating .unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements, comprising a base member having 1 inwardly extending portions along one edge 'ing an interior bead along one edge thereof, a

of metal and having an inwardly turned rolled vbase member, the said reaches of said racks bethereof, a plurality of racks mounted on said base member, each of said racks being constituted of a single piece 0! wire formed to provide a top reach and converging side reaches disposed at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which 5 the resistance elements lie and being pivotally connected at its ends to the side walls of said base member so as to enable said racks to be collapsed within the space bounded by said base I member, the side reaches of said racks having offset portions forming restsfor the slices of bread to be toasted and being adapted to coact with said inwardly extending portions of said base member to lock the racks in collapsed po- 1 sition within said base member. 15

6. A toaster appliance for use in conjunction A with an electric stove having a heating unit com-v posed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements, comprising a base member havplurality of racks mounted on said basemenber, each ,of said racks being constituted of a single piece 01' wire formed to provide a top reach and converging side reaches disposed atan acute angle to the horizontal planes in which the resistance elements lie and being pivotally connected at its ends to the side walls of said base member so as to enable said racks to be collapsed within the space bounded by said base member. the side reaches of said racks having-offset pottions forming rests for the slices of bread to be toasted and being adapted to coact with the interiorbead of said base member to lock the racks in collapsed position within said base member.

7. A toaster appliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a heating unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements comprising a base member made edge, a plurality of racks mounted on said base member, each of said racks being constituted of a single piece of wire formed to provide a top reach and converging side reaches disposed at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which the resistance elements lie and being pivotally connected at its endsto the side walls of said base. member so as to enable said racks to becollapsed within the space bounded by said base member, the side reaches of each of said racks having ofiset portions, the distance between theouter parts of said offset portions being greater than the interior diameter of said rolled edge and said offset portions being adapted to coact with the rolled edge of said base member to lock the racks in collapsed condition within said base member.

8. A toaster appliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a heating unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements comprising. a base member made of metal and having inwardly turned rolled edges, a plurality of racks mounted on said base,

member, each of said racks being constituted of a single piece of wire formed to provide a top reach and converging side reaches disposed at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which the resistance elements lie and being pivotally connected at its ends to the side walls of said. base member so as to enable said racks to pivot through an angle greater than 180 through said base member and tobe collapsed within said ing provided with oiiset portions formed so that the distance between their outer parts is greater than the distance between interior surfaces of said rolled edges and adapted to coact with said 75 rolled edges to lock the racks in collapsed condition within said base member.

9. A toaster such as defined in claim 8, in which the pivoted ends of the racks are arranged withrelatiomtohasememher toenablethunto contract inwardly towards each other while the oflset portions of the side reaches are being moved past a rolled edge.

10. A toasterappliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a. heating unit composed of horizontally arranged electrical resistance elements, comprising a base having an unobstructed opening through which, when. the appliance is positioned on the stove, convection currents heated by the resistance elements in the heating unit of the stove can freely circulate, a bread support mounted on said base and positioned over the of said base member, said bread support consisting of a spiral spring having polygonally-shaped coils of areas adapted to support slices oi bread over the resistance elements at an acute angle to the horizontal planes in which such elements lie andtobecollapsed onewithintheotherwhen the device is not in'use.

11. A toaster appliance for use in conjunction with an electric stove having a heating unit composed of horizontallyan'anged electrical resistance elements comprising a base having an unobstructed p ning through which, when. the appliance is positioned on the stove, convection currents heated by the resistance elements in the heating unit of the stove can freely circulate, a

breadsupportmountedonsaidbaseand-posiareasadapted to be collapsed cne within the otherwhenthedevlceianotinnseandaiastmingdeviceadaptedtocoactwithsaidbaseto maintainsaidspringincollapsedconditionnnfll ready for use.

12.!ltoasterapplianceforuseinconnecfim withanelectric stove havingaheafing unit composed ot'horlzontallyl arranged electric resistance elements, comprising an appliance-supportingbasesecflonhavingverticallyextendingportionsadaptedtorestincontactwithasupporting-sm'iaceineachottworeversihlepositionsof the appliance and havingan unobstructed opening throughwhich, whentheapplianceispositioned onthestovaheattromthesmlrceofheatwill reachfliebreaddirectlywithuitpassingthrwgh andthelebyheaflnganypartotthebasabreadsupporting members associated with said base includingabentporfiomthebent-overpartot whichsumliesasupportfdrtheloweredgeot thebreadslice,andbracememhersforthebread slicestorestagainstsaid bracemembersheing positionableto extend over the mening of the basememberatacuteangleswithrelafiontoflie areaoftheheaflngunitandbeing'collapsibleto positions withintheconflneaofthevertlealportionsofthemandmeansco-actingwiththe 'bendotthebentporflonsotthebreadsupports forholdingthebracemembersintheircollapsed' conditionwithinsaidconflnesotthebaaeagaimimintentionalpmtrmlonwhen-themterismt inuse,wherebythetoasterinitscollapsedconditionwllliieflatuponoragainstam otthecollapaeddevice. 

